EVEN after being Korea’s naturalized player for several years, Ricardo Ratliffe had always wanted to come back and play for Magnolia in the PBA.
His desire to don the Hotshots uniform has come true, as the 35-year-old is slated to play for the Hotshots in the Commissioner’s Cup, seven years after his last stint with the bal lclub.
Ratliffe last saw action in the PBA during the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup when the then-Star Hotshots went all the way to the semifinals before being ousted by San Miguel.
After playing for the Seoul Samsung Thunder, Ratliffe then agreed to play for Korea as its naturalized player for FIBA and other international tournaments, and was even given the name Ra Gun-ah.
With that chapter as Korea’s naturalized player already closed, the opportunity for Ratliffe to come back opened.
The reason? He has always been in touch with Magnolia coach Chito Victolero over the years.
“Actually, my contract in Korea with the national team, I only signed for six years in 2018. Me and coach Chito always kept in contact. I always told him when I was available, if you guys still want me, I would love to be back in the PBA because outside of Korea, of course, this is my favorite league,” said Ratliffe in a recent interview with SPIN.ph.
Ratliffe said he still had offers to play in the Korean Basketball League, but chose to come back to the Hotshots.
“It just didn’t work out. Like I always said, this is one of my favorite places to be outside of Korea and the States. I choose the Philippines,” Ratliffe said.
Ratliffe back to runnin' and gunnin' with Magnolia
Victolero attested that the Hotshots have always wanted their good old reliable reinforcement to return since his 2017 stint.
“Every year, we keep on communicating. Kapag may chance, tinatanong ko siya, kinakamusta ko sa Korea. Minsan kapag nag-champion sila, kino-congratulate ko. Continuous ‘yung communication sa kanya,” said Victolero.
“Sabi ko sa kanya, kung merong time na talagang makabalik siya, willing naman siya. Sabi nga niya, isa lang ang lalaruan niya sa PBA,” he continued, referring, of course, to Magnolia.
“We are family. Tinuturing namin siyang isa sa mga pamilya namin. Sobrang humble, sobrang bait. Wala kang maririnig. Grabe ang character at attitude. Leader siya,” the Hotshots coach added.
From his previous stint with Magnolia, the remaining holdovers are Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang, Rome Dela Rosa, Rafi Reavis, and Paul Lee, who still calls him by his Korean name at times.
“A lot of the guys call me Ric except for Paul, he still calls me Ra Gun-ah. He says it’s a cool name. I agree. I’m pretty cool with just being called my regular name,” said Ratliffe.
Even though more than a few Hotshots will be his teammates for the first time, Ratliffe noted there's no need for much adjustment, as he's ready and raring for the coming PBA wars.
“The system is still the same. All the guys get along, still the same coach, we have the same camaraderie. It is just implementing me into what they do," he said, with Magnolia beginning its campaign in the Commissioner’s Cup on Thursday against Blackwater at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
"I’m still trying to find my way, but I feel like my game is pretty simple: just playing inside the post, unselfish, so I feel like I get along with the guys.”
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